Ambush Pasta @ Takashimaya

Yesterday was the first day of Special Sale at Takashimaya. Before we start our shopping, we had our dinner at B2-Gourmet Dinning. We decided to dine at "Ambush Pasta". This was our second time visiting this eating place. We loved their Bolognese Beef spaghetti and garlic bread, so we decided to order it again! 

We ordered two sets of Bolognese Beef spaghetti, two set of minestrone soup served with garlic bread and a set of Bockwurst sausage with a choice of your starch (which we chose harsh brown because my kids loved it). Even my 18 months baby and my 3.5 year old toddler enjoyed their foods very much.

Yummy.....Bolognese Beef Spaghetti



Yummy.... Bockwurst Sausage



Yummy.... Minestrone Soup with Garlic Bread

We really loved eating their Bolognese Beef spaghetti, garlic bread and Bockwurst sausage. They are very authentic and appetizing.  Especially , it reminds me of the typical "Aussie" taste that I had during my oversea study in Australia. It really brought back my olden days memories in Australia and make me missed the place badly again!

Interested To Try???

Visit: Takashimaya @ 391 Orchard Road Singapore 238873

          Basement 2 - Gourmet Dining at Ambush Pasta CCC

My Cooking Journal 12 - Simple Chinese Steam Eggs (中式蒸蛋)

If you want to prepare a quick, easy and nutrition dish for your family, I would suggest preparing a good dish of plain steamed egg that will simply melted in your mouth.

Eggs contain many essential nutrition that benefits our health. It is not only rich in protein and is also a good source of Vitamins A, B2 (riboflavin), B9 (Folate), B12 and D and minerals such as selenium, iodine, iron, zinc, lutein, choline, phosphorous, molybdenum. The health benefits of eggs are mainly contributed in the egg yolks. Choline is well known for brain development. It helps to develop healthy fetal brain, improving our memory function and so prevents us from age-related memory loss. Folate helps pregant woman to prevent birth defects. Then, lutein preserves our eyesight and protects us against macular degeneration and cataract. Needless to say, Vitamin D helps to form and maintain strong bones.

Though eggs are considerably high in fat and cholesterol, the fat it's contain are mostly monounsaturated fat and much of the cholesterol in eggs may not be well absorbed by our body. Therefore, it has little impact in raising blood cholesterol. Nevertheless, we should still consume eggs in moderation and try to maintain our cholesterol intake to 300mg daily. An healthy individual should consume not more than four eggs per week.

Buy and Store Eggs

You can buy eggs from any provision shops, supermarket and local wet markets in pack of tray or carton. Before purchase, make sure you inspect any crack or break eggs.

Storing eggs in their original carton or tray can prevent absorption of odours and lost of moisture. It will still be able to keep its freshness for about one month if you maintain it in the original condition and stored it in the refrigerator. Avoid washing the eggs prior storing them in the refrigerator as it will remove their protective coating. Also, avoid storing eggs near the refrigerator door as the eggs tends to expose to heat more frequently when you opened and closed the refrigerator door. This will reduce their freshness.

Ingredients:

1. 2 eggs for serving 2 adults and 2 toddlers
2. 4 eggs shells of water
3. 100g minced pork - To marinate
4. Pinch of salt and suger - To taste
5. Chopped spring onion - Garnish

Marinate minced pork in a bowl :

1. 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
2. 1/2 tsp sesame oil
3. Dash of pepper & sugar
4. Set aside

Measurement of Water:

Break a small hole at the top of the egg shell, then pour out the egg into a bowl. Filled up the empty egg shell with water (till full), pour the water into the bowl of eggs - (Total: do 4 times)

For every one egg, do the above 2 times. (Ratio - Egg : Water = 1:2) 

Mother's Day

My 1st Mother's Day Card from my son - Ling Zhexian at the age of 3.5. It is so heart warming and sweet of him that I really feel appreciated and proud to be a Mother. 

This year, we brought my mother-in-law to dine at Zhou's Kitchen (located at Square 2 #01-73, 10 sinaran Drive Singapore 307506) on Eve of Mother's Day. The restaurant looks squeezy and it gives me an impression of a Typical Hong Kong Style "Cha Chang Ting" (茶餐厅) with more stylish interior design.

We order a few selection of dish to share. The food they serve was indeed delicious. It is worth a visit!  

Zhou Kitchen's Menu

 

干贝三层楼

Braised Spinach Beancurd with Mushrooms and Vegetables

椒盐白饭鱼

Crisp-fried Sliver Baits with Salted Pepper

京式片皮鸭

Beijing Roast Duck 

(Serve with the pancakes and duck skin and the meat will be seperately served)

京式片皮鸭

Beijing Roast Duck (Condiments)

Signature Dish

笼仔糯米蟹饭

Steamed Crab with Glutinous Rice in Basket

Stir Fried Duck Meat with Bean Spout

My Cooking Journal 11 - Chinese Style Seafood Soup (中式海鲜汤)

This soup contains several useful vitamins and minerals that can benefit our health. It provides good source of protein, calcium and phosporous (from prawns, squids, pork, tofu and ikan bilis stock) that can helps us in maintaining healthy bones, nails, hair, muscle and skins. Apart from that, prawns and squids are good source of iodine, selenium, zinc, Vitamin B12 and iron. Iodine aid to control growth and metabolism for our body and keeps thyroid healthy. Selenium, an antioxidant assists in relieving arthritis symtoms and decrease the risk of cancer.   Zinc helps to boost your immunity where Iron and Vitamin B12 helps in production of normal red blood cell to avoid the risk in getting anemia. But, do bear in minds that both seafoods are high in cholesterol, so you should moderate your consumption if possible.

To enhance the taste of this soup, I added tomato to make it more flavourful. Tomatoes contain Vitamin C, A, B, folate, fiber, calcium, phosporous and is an antioxidant that found to be protective against cancer. I really love the taste of this soup as it is refreshing and gives a flavourful sweetness that will whet your appetite.

My Ingredients:

 

1. 200g Ikan Bilis - (Stock) Washed and rinsed
2. 4-6 pieces Medium Size Prawns - Deshelled & deveined (Keep the prawn head and shells for making stock)
3. 1 piece Squids - Cut into ring or slices
4. 100g Pork - Cut into thin slices
5. 1 Tomato - Cut into wedges
6. 1/2 Block Tofu - Cut into cubes
7. 100g Salted Mustard Green (Vegetable) - Cut into slices
8. 3 slices Ginger
9. 8 slices Garlic
10. 3 teaspoon sesame oil
11. 2 teaspoon fish sauce 
12. 1 teaspoon corn flour
13. pinch of pepper, salt and sugar - to taste 
14. Water (enough to serve 2-3 person)
15. Fried shallot and chopped spring onions (for garnish)

 

My Cooking Journal 10 - Simple Chinese Winter Melon Soup (冬瓜汤)

Our weather (Singapore) has been hot and humid lately. I feel so sluggish and tire and all my family members are down with sore throat, cough and running nose. I desperately need something to cool and refresh my mind and body.

Chinese winter melon soup (冬瓜汤) just came across my mind. This is one of my mum's signature dishes that she often made for us since young. I love the taste of this soup as it is light and clear with a taste of sweetness. Very delicate and simple soup to make.

 

Benefits and Buying  

Winter melon is high in Vitamin B and dietary fiber. It helps to cool, refresh and detoxify the body. It also helps in treating people with mild urinary tract problems. You can simply purchase them in any local super market or wet market. It is usually sell in slice due to their bulky size. And it is best to choose the slice that is near  top or bottom end as it gives more sweetness to the soup.  

  

In chinese, this soup is known as "Dong Gua Tang" (冬瓜汤).  "Dong Gua" means winter melon and "Tang" means soup. This soup that I am going to recommend is a typical hokkien style quick soup. It is very easy to prepare and cook (takes approx. 45 minutes).

My Ingredient:

 

Ingredients: 

1. 1 pack/slice winter melon - to serve two adult and two toddlers
2. pork ribs - 2 to 3 pieces - washed
3. 18 nos. dry scallop - small size
4. Water -  enough to cover half the pot
5. 2 eggs - beat the egg in a small bowl
6. 100g to 200g minced pork
7. 1 teaspoon sesame oil
8. 1 teaspoon fish sauce 
9. 1/2 teaspoon corn flour
10. pinch of pepper, salt and sugar - to taste 

Method: 

1. Marinate the minced pork with fish sauce, sesame oil, corn flour, sugar and pepper (quantity refer to the above). Then roll and shape the minced pork into small meat ball individually. Set aside.
2. Wash the winter melon into cubes. Remove the skin and inner seeds and cut the winter melon into cubes.
3. Prepare a pot of boiling water. This is used for cooking the winter melon soup. Put the dry scallop in the soup pot and simmer for 20 minutes in medium fire.
4. Prepare another small pot of boiling water (purpose for blanching the pork ribs). Blanch the pork ribs in this pot of boiling water. Remove pork ribs and transfer to the soup pot.
5. Simmer the soup pot (with dry scallop and pork ribs in the pot)  for another 15 minutes.
6. Then add in the winter melon. Boil the soup until winter melon turns transparent.
7. Add in the meat ball. Once the meat ball float, pour in the beaten egg into the pot and use a chopsticks to stir the soup in a circular motion until you see long thin threads are form and float in the soup.  
8. Add salt to taste and serve.

Method 1.

Method 5 & 6.

Method 7.

Easter Holiday @ Crown Plaza Hotel

One night stay at Crown Plaza Hotel at Changi Airport Terminal 3 (for 2 adult & 2 kids below 12) with a brunch at Azur Restaurant. The brunch includes some easter activities for children. Packages at $288+

Is relaxing and fun on our Easter Holiday! My kids enjoyed it very much. Oh my god! Nowadays my son keeps asking me to bring him to stay at airport hotel.

My Cooking Journal 9 - Stir Fry Chinese Spinach (苋菜) with Silver Fish (银鱼仔)

Do you still remember "Popeye The Sailor Man"? It is one of my childhood popular cartoon character. I still remember the smart Popeye when eats spinach will turn into a powerful strong man to fight against his enemy. 

In actual fact, spinach provides us with numerous valuable nutritions such as vitamin A, C, B1, B2, B6, iron, calcium, soluble dietary fiber and minerals such as potassium, manganese, folate, zinc etc. This healthy vegetable can helps our health in few ways like reduce cancer risk, provides antioxidant protection, protects our eye against degeneration, avoids anaemia, protect against osteoporosis etc.

However, the iron produces by spinach (known as non-haem iron) is not easily absorbed by our body. It is recommended to eat spinach with food that has high content of vitamin C which will assist the absorption of calcium and iron. Spinach also contains a compound called oxalic acids. This acids can hinder the aborption of calcium and iron and may also crystallize as oxalate stones in the urinary tract. By boiling spinach in water will reduce the production of oxalic acids.

Buying and Storing of Spinach:

You can purchase spinach from any local supermarket or wet market. You can store them in the plastic storage bag and keep in refrigerator where it will keep fresh for up to 3 to 4 days. It is best not to wash the spinach before storing as spinach will be easily spoil when contacts with water.

However, if you have washed the spinach and decides not to cook them instantly, then it is recommended to store the "washed spinach" in a air-tight container.  Before storing them in the air-tight container, try to dispose as much water as possible. It can still maintain its refreshess for up to 3 days after washed if you only stored them in the air-tight container.

Preparing of Spinach:

Trim the roots first, then place the spinach in a large bowl contains of water (this will helps to remove some sand and dirt). Pour away the dirty water. Then separate the stem and roots, by peeling off the leaves in a cluster of few leaves attached together. While you peel off the leaves, you may also encounter some thin fibrous layer being peeled off from the stem as well. Just remove and discard the fibrous layer. Next, you pinch the stem off every 2 inches (about 2 inches in length) . You will also encounters thin fibrous layer detached from the stem. Separate the leaves and stem in two separate bowl.

Once finish processing the leaves and the stem, refill the large bowl with water, swishes the leave around with your hands to remove dirt from the leave. Repeat this process thoroughly till no dirt remain in the water (Usually, I do it 2 to 3 times). Avoid soaking the spinach in water as water soluable-nutrients will escape out to the water. Finally, wash the stem thoroughly to remove the sand and dirt. Set them aside for cooking in later stage.

This time, I'll be introducing a simple dish that is stir fry chinese spinach (苋菜) with silver fish (银鱼仔).

My Ingredients:

Ingredients: 

1. 1 pack spinach - serve two adult and two toddlers
2. 1 cloves garlic - minced
3. Ginger -  3 slices
4. 1 cup dried silver fish (quantity as your wish) - wash and pat dry
5. 1 tablespoon olive oil
6. 1 tablespoon fish sauce
7. pinch of pepper and sugar 
8. 1/2 cup water